Improvement in botanistsj portable presses



G. G. FAIRGHILD. B'otanists Portable Press.

No. 215,216. Patented May 13, 1879 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

CHARLES G. FAIROHILD, OF BEREA, KENTUCKY.

IMPROVEMENT IN BOTANISTS" PORTABLE PRESSES.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. 215,216, dated May 13, 1879 application filed September 27, 1878.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, CHARLES G. FAIRCHILD, of Berea, Madison county, Kentucky, have invented Improvements in Botanists Portable Presses, of which the following is a specification.

My invention is a press constructed, as fully described hereinafter, so as to secure and press any desired object tightly between the platens, and permit the latter at any time to be quickly disconnected, the further object being to make the weight of the press a means of maintaining the pressure upon the article.

In the drawings, which form part of this specification, Figure 1 is a side view of myimproved press; Fig. 2, an edge view, showing the plates open; Fig. 3, a plan view of- Fig. 2; and Fig. 4, an edge view, showing the plates brought together to compress an object between them; Fig. 5, a modification.

A A are plates of any suitable shapes and dimensions, preferably of wood, although they may be stamped or cast of metal, corrugated 0r flanged, to secure the required rigidity. At each edge of the plate A are two parallel arms, a a projecting nearly at right angles to the plate, and bent at the ends to form curved lips e e, the arm a being the longer. A similar arm, a, projects from each edge of the plate A, having a curved lip, e, at the end, all of.

said arms being so arranged that when the plates are brought opposite to each other, as shown in Fig. 2, the arm a will extend between the arms a a 4 The matter to be compressed is inserted between the plates, and wedges C 0, Figs. 1 and 4:, are placed between the lips e e e and drawn upward, as shown in Fig. 4, so as to separate the lips e e from 0, and bring the plates together upon the article between them with a force depending upon the extent to which the wedge is driven.

When the article is to be released, the wedges are drawn outward, and the plates may be immediately separated.

The press thus constructed may be used for any desired purpose, but is especially adapted for pressing plants, the wedges being connected to a band or cord, as, by which the press may be suspended from the shoulder, when its weight will tend to draw up the wedges and hold the plates in tight contact with the article between them.

The parts described may be modified withoutdepartingfrommyinvention. Forinstance, lips or lugs may extend from the edges of the plates A A into slots in a wedge, G, as shown in Fig. 5, the action being the same as in the first case.

I claim- 1. The combination of the plates A A, arms a a a proj ectin g from the edges of said plates, and provided with lugs e e c, and wedges O, substantially as set forth.

2. The combination, with the plates A A of a press, of side wedges, bearing on lugs of said plates, and a strap connecting the wedges, whereby the weight of the press is made the means of drawing the plates together, as set forth.

In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

o. G. 'FAIRGHILD.

Witnesses:

J. B. NoNEs, S. STEINHEIMER. 

